<p><em>By K Nagavani</em></p><p>Peer pressure can be a double-edged sword. Research indicates that if you are subjected to intense pressure from friends during your teenage years, it might hinder your ability to be independent as an adult. However, when friends encourage positive behaviours, such as studying diligently or avoiding trouble, it can enhance your confidence and help you make better choices. Essentially, peer pressure is not always negative. If used correctly, it can be a force for good.</p>.<p><strong>From competition to collaboration</strong></p>.<p>Peer learning can replace unhealthy competition with cooperative learning. Instead of feeling isolated and facing academic stress, joining a study group can provide support and shared insights. Study groups are just the first step in peer learning platforms. There is much more to explore.</p>.<p>When students learn from each other, their interactions and development extend beyond academic skills. Peer learning is a science-backed way to develop the social and emotional competencies needed for success in life. Therefore, incorporating emotional intelligence as a daily reality in classrooms and campuses through peer learning can lead to improved relationships and better decision-making. </p>.<p>What happens when our educators have the support they need to promote peer learning? Ideas flow to deepen collaboration, and students begin to learn from one another. With time for professional development, space for planning together, and honest feedback from students, educators can create classrooms where every learner feels seen in a community that they belong to. This can also promote diverse ways students understand and grow.</p>.Virtual peer pressure can spark competition, boost performance.<p>Students have diverse learning needs, including those with learning disabilities and different cultural backgrounds. Institutions can start Diversity Learning Circles, where small, mixed-ability groups work together on projects designed to cater to different learning styles and abilities. For instance, a project on local history might involve creating a visual timeline for visual learners, writing a narrative for verbal learners, and conducting interviews for those with strong interpersonal skills.</p>.<p>Peer learning can develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills through structures like Problem-Solving Circles. Students tackle complex, open-ended problems collaboratively in these circles. Socratic Seminars encourage in-depth exploration. The topics will be explored through structured discussions, which teachers may not always be able to lead. This approach can lead to better dialogues and multiple viewpoints among students, which may not always happen between students and teachers.</p>.<p><strong>Peer-learning portfolios</strong></p>.<p>But first, why assess peer learning? To identify what is working well and what needs improvement, and to recognise the contribution of each student, we need to assess peer learning. One important way to do this is to use Peer Learning Portfolios. They document the journey of each student through work samples, reflections, and peer feedback. These portfolios are evaluated using a Rubric for Peer Learning, which assesses collaboration, critical thinking, communication, and individual contributions. Peer Learning Analytics, similar to traditional learning analytics, can track student interactions in digital platforms. This can reveal who is engaging in peer learning, who is avoiding it, and the communication patterns and dynamics at play.</p>.<p>Peer learning is not limited to sharing knowledge. An ideal peer-learning circle is a community where everyone feels valued and supported. Peer learning can be integrated into the broader educational ecosystem through Community Learning Hubs on campus. This can be issue-based or theme-based rather than discipline-based, where students, parents, and community members collaborate on learning projects. There are many instances where parent-student partnerships are used for specific learning projects and invite ‘Community Experts’ to participate in peer learning activities. In this process, peer learning can transform a group of individual students into a community of learners. What is prohibiting us from doing this?</p>.<p>(The author is an associate professor in a Bengaluru-based college)</p>
<p><em>By K Nagavani</em></p><p>Peer pressure can be a double-edged sword. Research indicates that if you are subjected to intense pressure from friends during your teenage years, it might hinder your ability to be independent as an adult. However, when friends encourage positive behaviours, such as studying diligently or avoiding trouble, it can enhance your confidence and help you make better choices. Essentially, peer pressure is not always negative. If used correctly, it can be a force for good.</p>.<p><strong>From competition to collaboration</strong></p>.<p>Peer learning can replace unhealthy competition with cooperative learning. Instead of feeling isolated and facing academic stress, joining a study group can provide support and shared insights. Study groups are just the first step in peer learning platforms. There is much more to explore.</p>.<p>When students learn from each other, their interactions and development extend beyond academic skills. Peer learning is a science-backed way to develop the social and emotional competencies needed for success in life. Therefore, incorporating emotional intelligence as a daily reality in classrooms and campuses through peer learning can lead to improved relationships and better decision-making. </p>.<p>What happens when our educators have the support they need to promote peer learning? Ideas flow to deepen collaboration, and students begin to learn from one another. With time for professional development, space for planning together, and honest feedback from students, educators can create classrooms where every learner feels seen in a community that they belong to. This can also promote diverse ways students understand and grow.</p>.Virtual peer pressure can spark competition, boost performance.<p>Students have diverse learning needs, including those with learning disabilities and different cultural backgrounds. Institutions can start Diversity Learning Circles, where small, mixed-ability groups work together on projects designed to cater to different learning styles and abilities. For instance, a project on local history might involve creating a visual timeline for visual learners, writing a narrative for verbal learners, and conducting interviews for those with strong interpersonal skills.</p>.<p>Peer learning can develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills through structures like Problem-Solving Circles. Students tackle complex, open-ended problems collaboratively in these circles. Socratic Seminars encourage in-depth exploration. The topics will be explored through structured discussions, which teachers may not always be able to lead. This approach can lead to better dialogues and multiple viewpoints among students, which may not always happen between students and teachers.</p>.<p><strong>Peer-learning portfolios</strong></p>.<p>But first, why assess peer learning? To identify what is working well and what needs improvement, and to recognise the contribution of each student, we need to assess peer learning. One important way to do this is to use Peer Learning Portfolios. They document the journey of each student through work samples, reflections, and peer feedback. These portfolios are evaluated using a Rubric for Peer Learning, which assesses collaboration, critical thinking, communication, and individual contributions. Peer Learning Analytics, similar to traditional learning analytics, can track student interactions in digital platforms. This can reveal who is engaging in peer learning, who is avoiding it, and the communication patterns and dynamics at play.</p>.<p>Peer learning is not limited to sharing knowledge. An ideal peer-learning circle is a community where everyone feels valued and supported. Peer learning can be integrated into the broader educational ecosystem through Community Learning Hubs on campus. This can be issue-based or theme-based rather than discipline-based, where students, parents, and community members collaborate on learning projects. There are many instances where parent-student partnerships are used for specific learning projects and invite ‘Community Experts’ to participate in peer learning activities. In this process, peer learning can transform a group of individual students into a community of learners. What is prohibiting us from doing this?</p>.<p>(The author is an associate professor in a Bengaluru-based college)</p>
